


Paradise of Ones Own Making

by UisceOneLove



Series: Steve's Burning Denial [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Adopted Peter Parker, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, Fluff, Happy Ending, Infinity Stones, M/M, Memory Alteration, Morally Dubious Steve Rogers, Multi, Natasha Lives, Polyamory, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Steve Rogers Emotionally Burying Himself, Technically Dark?, Tony Stark Lives, Tony Stark is Good With Kids, Universe Manipulation, vision lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:47:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29273469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UisceOneLove/pseuds/UisceOneLove
Summary: Steve is tired of being selfless.He won't lose one of the men he loves again.Steve did everything he could to get Bucky back. He'll do the same for Tony.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Steve's Burning Denial [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2155359
Comments: 22
Kudos: 109





	Paradise of Ones Own Making

**Author's Note:**

> I read a very painful fic last night. It was beautiful and I needed to fix my heart with a happy ending.

_Steve doesn't look when he hears Bucky come into their bedroom. He stays where he is, sitting at the far corner of it with his hands clasped between his knees and head bowed._

_"What did she say when she saw it was you?" Bucky asks. Steve feels the bed dip behind him, hears the shift of the sheets as Bucky moves on top of them, and there are a mismatched pair of arms around his shoulders._

_"I think it scared her," Steve admits._

_Bucky rests his forehead against his temple. Steve knows this is supposed to comfort him, Bucky's always been home for as long as he can remember._

_But home wasn't complete anymore._

_And Steve doesn't know how much longer he could last without it._

_"Not enough to fix what's she's done." Bucky isn't asking, because it's clear to all of them._

_"No."_

_Wanda's barrier is still up. She's not letting go of the world she's given herself to stop the pain of losing Vision._

_And Steve...he can't blame her. He really can't, even though he knows that he's supposed to be the one on the frontlines telling Wanda to do what's right and fix it._

_Everyone expects him to be selfless. Steve's put others before himself his entire life. That's what Captain America does._

_But he's not Captain America anymore._

_And for once? Steve's leaning towards being selfish. He's earned it. He's tired, he's grieving._

_Steve just wants to be happy and live the life he wants._

_"What's the plan now?" Bucky lays a kiss above Steve's ear. Steve has to pull away and stands before he loses his nerve. It makes Bucky frown at him and tense, preparing for news of some threat. "Stevie?"_

_Steve prepares himself too. He knows what he's going to do and he knows that Bucky's not going to be happy with him for it._

_"I didn't take them all back."_

_"Didn't take all of what back?"_

_But Steve can already see it in Bucky's eyes. He knows exactly what Steve means. Bucky was there waiting for him to return when he stepped into the past._

_Instead of answering out loud, Steve opens his palm and shows him. Bucky was flying off the bed, enraged, and Steve quickly tucks them against his chest so that they couldn't be taken away._

_"What the fuck were you thinking?" Bucky hisses._

_"I was thinking that Tony's gone and I couldn't just--" Steve chokes, the pain fresh and blocking the rest of the words from spilling out._

_"I miss him too, Steve," Bucky tries, gentle, but his anger keeps an edge to his words, "but we can't just change that. You know we can't. It's wrong."_

_"Well, maybe I don't care anymore," Steve bit. "It should've been me."_

_Bucky holds his hands out carefully. He looks at Steve like he's trying to help some wild, trapped animal, and that only serves to make Steve decide even more that he's going to do this. So then he won't have to see Bucky look at him like that ever again._

_"Don't," he pleads, "whatever you're thinking, don't do it."_

_"Wanda's got the right idea, Buck." Steve smiles down at the stones bitterly, his chest swelling up with his conviction as he looks back up at his best pal. "We shouldn't have to live without what we love because of Thanos. But I can make it happen without enslaving hundreds of innocent people."_

_"You would be enslaving us," Bucky countered shakily, "me. Tony. Our friends. You'd be manipulating us all."_

_Bucky doesn't understand but that's okay. Steve will make sure he won't have to. All Bucky will have to know is how to be happy and safe._

_"I love you, Bucky," Steve tells him, "I'll always do everything for you. And I'll do everything for Tony, too."_

_"Steve--"_

_The infinity stones glow in Steve's hand. He closes his eyes as the power burns through him, and all that's left is one, commanding thought--_

"I told you what would happen if you took the last doughnut, Barnes."

"And I told you that I'd love to see you try, Stark. So what are you gonna do about it?"

Steve smiled to himself from the top of the stairs. 

Everything was perfect. Exactly as it should be.

"Why do I hear two adult-sized children when we've got a seven-year-old living in the house?" he asked as he came down. Steve stepped into the kitchen to find the loves of his life on opposite ends of the counter, Bucky smirking with chocolate frosting smeared on his lips and half-eaten doughnut between human fingers while Tony's glaring and cooking a pan of eggs.

"It's not like he had his name on it, Stevie," Bucky states innocently, which does not work when he still looks so smug.

"I called dibs," Tony huffed, "you were there for it, I called _dibs_."

"Next time I go to the store, I'll pick up extra just for you," Steve told the inventor placatingly, coming over to wrap an arm around Tony's waist and pull him in for a kiss. Tony comes willingly, all too enthusiastic with his part, most likely to throw it in Bucky's face that he's gotten the first token of affection this morning.

"They better have sprinkles," Tony said against his lips, nipping at the bottom one before pulling back to keep the eggs from burning. 

"Why does it feel like you're playing favorites now?" Bucky accused, playfully pouting. "I'm feeling really hurt now, Steve."

Steve nods, his face serious and solemn as he approaches. "I can see that, Buck. You're downright in agony."

"I am," Bucky nods, fighting admirably to keep the pout. 

Steve curls his fingers around Bucky's wrist, their eye contact unbreaking as he pulls the doughnut close and takes a bite, making a point to lick his lips. He's pleased with himself when Bucky's pupils grow just a bit. 

"I guess I should fix that, shouldn't I?" Steve asks, and Bucky's barely gotten done nodding when he pulls the brunet in for his own kiss, hungry and seeking out more. Steve kisses away the chocolate from Bucky's mouth before he releases him and moves away.

Tony clears his throat, shifting his stance. "I don't think I've gotten that much cheering up," he says, "you might need to give me a little bit more."

Steve will love nothing more than to give Tony and Bucky as much as they need. They have all the time in the world now. "Maybe after breakfast," he suggests, eyeing the pan. "While Peter and Morgan are at school."

"Having kids is such a testament to my growing ability to be patient," Tony muttered, quickly moving the finished eggs onto plates. "Can you retrieve them, then?"

"Sure," Steve nods, "are they at the tent?"

"Been there since she found Peter's web-shooters," Bucky confirmed. "I'm not cleaning up that mess, by the way. Below my paygrade."

"I thought you loved cleaning up messes," Tony snarked.

Bucky gives Tony a heated look. "Only when I've made them."

"Or because I tell you to do it," Steve pointed out, dropping his voice into the Captain tone he knows both men enjoy more than any of them probably should. 

He gets exactly what he wants when Tony and Bucky shiver. 

Steve goes outside before it does escalate into Adult Territory that all of them would not be too happy with if Peter and Morgan walked in on. The weather at the lake house was perfect, on the right side of cool with the beautiful tufts of clouds in the sky. It's the kind of weather that might tempt Steve into dragging Bucky out for a swim later. 

He follows the sound of giggling down the steps and along the cleared out dirt pathway towards the garden. Bucky's gotten into tending their own plants and herbs, which was an extremely attractive hobby that Steve took advantage of watching every chance he had. Just past the bushel of sunflowers were a small purple tent and a firepit a fair distance away that they'd make marshmallows with. The ground, some trees, and a small portion of Bucky's flowers were covered by spurts of Peter's webbing.

The culprits were inside the tent, whispering to each other. Steve smiled fondly and took a seat on the small camping chair next to it, just to listen for a minute before he ended their fun.

"We're in some big Avengers trouble if we're facing a large spider leaving their web like this," Steve announced.

The tent squirmed as its occupants moved around, the whispers cutting off.

"It looks like I might need to grab my shield," Steve went on, grinning, "since it looks like the spider might be hiding inside of Morgan's tent."

"Nooo!"

Morgan crawls out first, jumping in front of Steve. 

"It's me and Peter, papa!" she informs him while Peter crawls out next, looking more sheepish than Morgan.

"Sorry, Steve, we were just playing around," he apologized.

Steve waves it off, picking Morgan up and setting her in his lap. "More like you were training someone to be the future Spider-Woman."

Morgan's eyes lit up while Peter looked towards the house with alarm. "I wasn't--" he started, but Morgan was busy cheering. 

"I can be Spider-Woman!" she cheered. "I'll fight with Peter! And I can swing with daddy! Daddy can teach me to make my own suit!"

"Sounds like something to ask him when you're older," Steve replied, kissing her head and standing. He clapped Peter on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Queens. It's me Tony'll kill for the encouragement."

Peter turned to him with relief in his eyes. "You'll make sure of that, right? Being hit with his repulsors are never fun and I like the internship he gave me at Stark Industries."

"You're his son," Steve reminded him, "Tony will just ground you and make you work ten times harder at the job until he decides to forgive."

Steve then nodded his head toward the webbing. "You're also the one who gets to clean that up."

Peter sighed and nodded with a weak smile. "I guessed that."

It's as they're coming up to the porch that Peter stopped and looked up. One glance at the boy's face and he knew it was those Spidey-Senses going off to something. 

"What is it?" Steve asked, his guard going up and looking towards the house. He needed to get Morgan inside and protect Bucky and Tony. He won't lose them to anything or anyone.

Peter scrunched his face up. "Someone's coming."

Before Steve could any further, he spotted a trail of red in the air as whatever it was got closer. He figured out exactly what it was, and while he didn't let his guard down completely, Steve didn't see an immediate threat. 

"Tony's almost done with breakfast," he told the kids, setting Morgan down. "How about you two go in and eat? Happy will be here soon to take you to school." 

"Are you sure?" Peter checked, looking to Steve. "Should I send Bucky out?"

"No need," Steve shook his head as he watched Wanda set down across the path. 

Peter still hesitated but took Morgan's hand and offered Wanda a smile. "Good to see you, Wanda," he greeted, then took the curious little girl inside. 

Steve met Wanda halfway, knowing they're far enough away that no one will be able to eavesdrop but they'll still be in sight. He wasn't foolish to think Bucky and Tony weren't going to be hovered around the windows watching. 

"Steve," Wanda said, her gaze analytical and wary.

"Wanda." Steve had nothing to hide from her. She's who led him to create this place. This home. This world.

"I did not wake in my town." Her accent was back, like when she spoke to him outside of the barrier. 

He thought there was a possibility of that happening. "Where were you?"

"At the Compound," Wanda answered. "It was perfectly restored."

Steve shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded. "Thanos never got the chance to destroy it. Tony, Peter, Strange, and the Guardians were able to stop him before then." 

Wanda's eyes narrowed slightly as she hummed. "That is what Natasha told me."

Natasha. Another mistake that Steve had to fix. Once that wasn't the same as everyone else. But no one would know the difference. He couldn't leave her out of this world when she deserved to see it, too. 

It flooded Steve with joy but he kept it tapered down. "And Vision? Your boys?" 

"They're there," she nodded, a wisp of repose with it. "They exist outside of my powers. I can feel Vision more alive than I made him, memories are not blocked but he is still happy. What did you do, Steve?"

"I did what you were trying to," he answered simply. "I fixed it."

It didn't take Wanda long to piece it together. "You have the infinity stones."

"I do. And I'm keeping them."

"You're keeping Tony."

"I'm keeping Tony," Steve nodded. "I'm keeping my family. I'm letting everyone be happy with what we've earned. We deserve to be happy, don't we, Wanda?"

Wanda's lashes fluttered violently to hold back her tears. "Yes," she whispered brokenly. 

"We did well. I want to cherish it."

Wanda sniffled. "Pietro's back, too. Different, but back. I hadn't meant to."

"I'm happy for you, Wanda," Steve told her earnestly. "You had too much taken from you. Now you get to have it back."

Just like Steve gets to have it back.

Wanda smiled shakily and stepped up, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. "Thank you, Steve," she said into his shoulder.

" _Thank you_ , Wanda," he returned.

"Come visit us, at the Compound. See what the Avengers look like here. See your friends."

"I will. I promise."

The visit was brief, but as Steve watched Wanda lift up into the air and fly away, it settled in his chest that this was what needed to be done. He was doing the right thing along with it being the selfish thing.

Tony and Bucky were waiting for him on the porch when he walked back. Casual concern was a vest for these two but Steve wouldn't have it any other way. 

"What did Wanda want?" Tony asked.

Steve squeezed a shoulder for them both, relishing in the way they both leaned into his touch. "She was just stopping by to tell me how the Avengers are doing. Pietro's back from his vacation to see Billy and Tommy."

"She could have called instead of worrying the kids," Bucky muttered.

"You mean instead of worrying you," Steve corrected.

"Fuck off, Rogers."

It was a good day. 

They all sat down and ate a breakfast that Tony didn't burn. Steve washed the dishes afterward while he watched from the window as Peter and Morgan got picked up by Happy. Then there was a lot of fighting off Tony's manhandling while he was finishing up, and Steve didn't fight it when he was led down into the garage to pick up where they'd left off earlier. Steve always kept his promises. 

Steve alternated between sketching Tony on the couch while the man tinkered on a project at the worktable and helping Bucky with the mint that he'd planted a few months before. He and Bucky made love in the lake, Bucky's back arching while Steve licked the water droplet from his collarbone.

It was a perfect day. One of many that would exist in this life. 

Later, Steve watched Tony help Morgan with her homework while Peter debated with Bucky over the best place to get pizza. They all had dinner, a roast recipe that Steve remembered from his ma's cookbook. Then they sent Peter to bed and tucked Morgan in with a kiss from each of them. 

Steve waited until Bucky and Tony were getting in their very accommodatingly sized shower, actively bickering over who got to wash their hair first, that he slipped over to the vent down on the floor of his side of the bed. He made sure that the vent wasn't a memory for anyone else in the house, just in case. But he was still careful about not being seen near it. He crouched down and quietly took the covering off, setting it down on the floor and reaching inside.

He pulled out the velvet black pouch and untied it, pulling the top open to get a look at the stones inside. All there, all dangerously bright and waiting to be used again. Steve has reassured himself enough for the night that this world he's created won't be going anywhere. Not without him.

"Capsicle! Are you coming or what?" Tony called out to him.

Steve reclosed the bag and returned it to its proper place, then put the covering back on. "I'm coming," he called back, stripping out of his clothes and making his way to the bathroom.

He had the men he loved, he had the family he dreamed of with them.

It was paradise. 

No one will take it away from him again.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are very much appreciated!


End file.
